Underappreciated NON-BASSIST Musicians

jaywa · #1 06-29-2011, 10:08 AM

Lots of threads on here about underappreciated bassists, but what about guys/gals on other instruments? Here's my short list (in no particular order):

1) Glen Campbell - great singer, amazing songwriter (with Jimmy Webb), and can play just about anything with strings. The whole Tanya Tucker thing took him down in a lot of people's eyes but this dude can PLAY.

2) Roy Clark - his association with Hee Haw didn't do his common-man cred any good, but here's another guy that's world class on multiple instruments.

3) Charlie Daniels - it's a shame too many people just know him for "Devil Went Down to Georgia" and the GEICO ad. He is world-class on fiddle AND guitar, he has mentored dozens if not hundreds of young musicians over his career and he gives some of the most articulate and thought provoking interviews you will ever read. This guy is no dumb redneck, he's the real deal.

4) Andy Sturmer - If you don't know the name, he was the leader of the band Jellyfish and if you don't know Jellyfish you really need to check them out. He is primarily a drummer but he is also a terrific singer, songwriter and producer.

That's my short list... eager to see other nominees.

waynobass · #2 06-29-2011, 10:19 AM

Yeah everybody thinks the Police is just Sting but Andy Sturmer really made that band!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FilterFunk · #3 06-29-2011, 10:23 AM

Billy Preston, RIP. Musicians know about him, but the average person has no idea of his massive contributions to music.

pedro · #4 06-29-2011, 10:27 AM

Cornell Dupree and Steve Cropper instantly come to mind. Wish more guitarist would spend more time listening to how these guys play than Hendrix or SRV or whatever guitar god they’re currently worshipping. These two guys knew and understood and embraced the fact that the guitar is part of the rhythm section. Tasty, funky – I wish someone would clone them.

pedro · #5 06-29-2011, 10:28 AM

King Curtis.

**Mound of Sound** · #6 06-29-2011, 10:33 AM

Not a big fan, but Travis, the drummer from Blink-182 tears it up.

jaywa · #7 06-29-2011, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pedro

Cornell Dupree and Steve Cropper instantly come to mind. Wish more guitarist would spend more time listening to how these guys play than Hendrix or SRV or whatever guitar god they’re currently worshipping.

+ Infinity. Same can be said of Nile Rogers, who could/should have been in my initial post.

Clark Dark · #8 06-29-2011, 10:48 AM

Those guitarists are good but c'mon
YouTube - ‪Like a Rolling Stone : Jimi Hendrix in Montery Pop‬&rlm;

pedro · #9 06-29-2011, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaywa

+ Infinity. Same can be said of Nile Rogers, who could/should have been in my initial post.

Absolutely.

jaywa · #10 06-29-2011, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clark Dark

Those guitarists are good but c'mon
YouTube - ‪Like a Rolling Stone : Jimi Hendrix in Montery Pop‬&rlm;

Right, but the topic is Underappreciated musicians.

Hendrix has definitely not gone underappreciated.

And, Pedro's point, I believe, is that true rhythm guitar playing is an obscure and pretty much lost art. I can attest to this. There are two guitarists in my band, both of whom came up in the Hendrix era, and neither of them can play in time worth a damn.

jaywa · #11 06-29-2011, 10:56 AM

BTW is the text wrapping on this thread going all weird on anyone else?

It's like the screen is twice as wide as my monitor screen or something. But it's not happening on other sections of TB. Weird...

pedro · #12 06-29-2011, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaywa

Right, but the topic is Underappreciated musicians.

Hendrix has definitely not gone underappreciated.

And, Pedro's point, I believe, is that true rhythm guitar playing is an obscure and pretty much lost art. I can attest to this. There are two guitarists in my band, both of whom came up in the Hendrix era, and neither of them can play in time worth a damn.

Exactly. What makes things weird, IMO, is that Hendrix was a great absolutely GREAT rhythm guitarist a fact sadly lost on most of his fans.

pedro · #13 06-29-2011, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaywa

BTW is the text wrapping on this thread going all weird on anyone else?

It's like the screen is twice as wide as my monitor screen or something. But it's not happening on other sections of TB. Weird...

Yep.

GregC · #14 06-29-2011, 11:58 AM

Pedro, I'm just gonna broadly +1 all your posts in this thread. Bang on!

poorbassist15 · #15 06-29-2011, 12:20 PM

I'm going to say Steve Howe and Steve Hackett. I know only a few musicians who recognize who they are. It truly is a shame, IMO, that guitarists like Hendrix and SRV(among many)overshadow them.

jaywa · #16 06-29-2011, 12:44 PM

I'm also going to add Leo Kottke. What he's done on acoustic guitar is astounding.

Stumbo · #17 06-30-2011, 04:32 PM

Some appreciation but not enough, IMO: Terry Kath
Seems to be getting a bit more notice since Youtoob went online.

Bill Campbell, my old drummer. Never made a mistake, never overplayed, always in time, played with dynamics, could copy any drummer's style with perfection, could solo with the best, never complained, never late, always took care of his equipment, was ready to play on-time at every rehearsal/gig, no excuses/whining, and is a nice guy/easy to get along with and good friend all wrapped in one.

zachoff · #18 06-30-2011, 09:43 PM

J Mascis... By far. Dude's a guitar playing songwriting god & still plays tiny clubs (without Dinosaur Jr, anyway).

Striver · #19 06-30-2011, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waynobass

Yeah everybody thinks the Police is just Sting but Andy Sturmer really made that band!

+1 on Andy Summers. I've got a couple of his solo albums and his guitar playing and song arrangements are fantastic. I agree that he definitely played a huge role in the Police's overall sound.

JimK · #20 07-01-2011, 04:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pedro

Cornell Dupree and Steve Cropper instantly come to mind. Wish more guitarist would spend more time listening to how these guys play than Hendrix or SRV or whatever guitar god they’re currently worshipping. These two guys knew and understood and embraced the fact that the guitar is part of the rhythm section. Tasty, funky – I wish someone would clone them.

Couple of more-
Eric Gale (who often worked alongside Cornell Dupree...as studio mates & as bandmates in Stuff. reminds me...I need to re-visit the Stuff Live in Montreux DVD).
Amazon.com: Stuff: Live At Montreux 1976: Cornell Dupree, Steve Gadd, Eric Gale, Richard Tee, Gordon Edwards: Movies & TV

Phil Upchurch is another guitarist with great rhythm chops...the 1st Jazz album I bought with my own coin was Bad Benson...granted George Benson & Kenny barron (electric piano) were ripping it up; once I had the album & really listened...wow, Upchurch's rhythm guitar was art!